Method for applying straps to packages of compressed material



June 7 HANS-JOCHEN TIMMERBEIL ET AL 3,515,055

METHOD FOR APPL ING STRAPS TO PACKAGES OF COMPRESSED MATERIAL FiledApril 8, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 2, 1970 HANS-JOCHEN TIMMERBEIL ETAL,5

METHOD FOR APPLYING STRAPS TO PACKAGES OF COMPRESSED MATERIAL FiledApril 8. 19 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J1me 1970 HANS-JOCHEN TIMMERBEIL ETAL3,515,055

METHOD FOR APPL ING STRAPS TO PACKAGES OF COMPRESSED MATERIAL 1 FiledApril 8, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 mum/r095 flow-Jame 77MMEPBf/l [bar/70rdUNA/593671 June 2, 1970 HANS-JOCHEN TIMMERBEIL ET AL 3,5 5,05

METHOD FOR APPL ING STRAPS TO PACKAGES OF COMPRESSED MATERIAL FiledApril 8, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent Int. Cl. Bssb 13/02US. Cl. 100-3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bales are compressed inthe chamber of a baler and are provided with straps prior to expulsionfrom the chamber. A continuous web of band material is fed lengthwise bythe feed of a strapping machine so that the leading portion of the Webadvances through a set of grooves provided in the walls of the chamber.The leading portion is then severed from the Web by a cutoff which isoperated intermittently in response to detection of information encodedon the web. The ends of the severed leading portion are joined to eachother to form a hoop of predetermined length which determines the extentto which the package can expand upon expulsion from the chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a methodfor applying straps around bales and other packages of compressiblematerial.

In accordance With the prevailing practice in strapping of bales or likepackages of compressible material, the package is compressed and theleading portion of a metallic band or web is applied around the thuscompressed package. The leading portion is then severed from the band toform a strap and is tightened around the pack-age. Finally, the ends ofthe strap are joined to each other to form a hoop and the surplus of thestrap is trimmed off. A drawback of such procedure is that the length ofhoops which are applied to one and the same package or to a series ofsuccessive packages is not the same. Therefore, the dimensions ofpackages are not uniform. which presents problems in stacking, storageand transportation. Moreover, the apparatus for the practice of thismethod must employ complicated strap tightening, trimming and joiningdevices. Since the material of packages often contains large quantitiesof dust or dirt, it is difficult to properly protect various devices ofa complicated strapping machine from contamination, particularly whenthe material of the packages consists mainly of natural or syntheticfibers, certain types of raw products, waste or the like.

It is also known to employ for strapping of packages a machine whichapplies to package straps of predetermined length. In such a machine,the straps are applied by hand which is a tedious and time-consumingprocedure. As a rule, the machine must be serviced by at least two,normally by three, four or more persons, especially if the packages arerather large and heavy so that it is difficult to apply a straptherearound.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of our invention to provide a'novel and "ice 0d according to which the ultimate dimensions of strappedpackages are predictable in advance so that the finished packages can bereadily stacked, stored and transported.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method according towhich the packages can be strapped by resorting to prefabricated strapsor to straps which are obtained by subdivision of a continuous web or beof strap material.

The improved method comprises the steps of confining a package in achamber wherein the package is maintained in compressed condition,mechanically applying a strap of predetermined length around the packagein the chamber, joining the end portions of the strap whereby the strapforms a circumferenti-ally complete hoop, and removing the package fromthe chamber so that its material expands to the extent permitted by thepredetermined length of the strap. The mechanical applyingstep' maycomprise advancing the strap lengthwise along a predetermined pathextending around the package in the chamber so that both end portions ofthe strap extend from the path and are readily accessible for thejoining step which can be carried out by hand, especially if the endportions of the strap are formedwith customary zig-zag shaped incisionsor slits.

The strap may constitute the leading portion of an elongated continuousweb of metallic or plastic band material and is severed from theremainder of the Web upon completion of the mechanical applying step.The web is fed mechanically along a predetermined path a portion ofwhich extends around the package in the chamber.

In accordance with another feature of our method, the web may beprovided with notches or other types of encoded information and istracked while it moves lengthwise along the predetermined path. The webis severed to separate the leading portion in response to detection ofencoded information whereby the severed leading portion forms a strap.The encoded information is applied to the web at intervals correspondingto the desired length of straps.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved method, together with additional features and advantagesthereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detaileddescription of certain specific embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of anapparatus With' which the method of our invention maybe carried out,portions of the baling and strapping machines being shown in verticalsection; I

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of a thread ing devicesubstantially as seen in the direction of the arrow II shown in FIG. 1;

improved method of applying straps to bales or other FIG. 3 is anenlarged front elevational view of the feed in the strapping machine ofFIG. 1, substantially as 'seen in the direction of the arrows III shownin FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the feed substantially as seen in thedirection of arrows from the line IV'IV of FIG. 3; v

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a severing'de vice or cutoff inthe strapping machine, substantially as seen in the direction of arrow Vin FIG. 1; i

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the" severing device,substantially as seen in the direction of arrowVIinFIG.5;and if I a I '5FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a detail of the severing device,substantially as seen in the direction of are rows from line VIIVII ofFIG. 5.

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The combined baling andstrapping apparatus with which the method of our invention may becarried out comprises a baling machine or baler 10 which defines achamber 11 adapted to receive a supply of compressible material which isto be compressed to assume a desired shape and to form a block-shapedpackage 19 prior to strapping. The baler 10 comprises a movable wallhere shown as a plunger or ram 17 which is reciprocable into and awayfrom the chamber 11 to condense the contents of the chamber and toimpart to such contents a desired shape and density. The chamber 11 hasan outlet located opposite the ram 17 and normally closed by aplate-like vertical front wall 12 which is movable up and down between aretracted or idle and an extended or operative position. The latterposition of the front wall 12 is shown in FIG. 1. This front wallresembles a slide or gate and can be reciprocated by a hydraulic orpneumatic cylinder and piston assembly, not shown.

The strapping machine of the improved apparatus serves to apply one ormore metallic or plastic straps 32 around the package 19 while thepackage dwells in the chamber 11 of the baler 10. The straps 32 areapplied in such a way that they loosely surround the package 19 in thechamber 11. However, when the package is expelled by the ram 17 throughthe outlet of the chamber 11 upon lifting of the front wall 12, itsmaterial expands and bears against the straps 32 whereby the strapsimpart to the package a desired shape which is best suited for stacking,storage, transportation and/or other manipulation of such packages.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the strappingmachine is arranged to mechanically apply to the package 19 one or morestraps 32 of predetermined length so that the dimensions of the packageupon expulsion from the chamber 11 can be determined in advance. In theembodiment which is illustrated in the drawing, the straps 32 areobtained by subdivision of a continuous length or web 27 of metallicband material which is provided with longitudinally spaced codes in theform of pairwise arranged mirror symmetrical notches 96 (FIG. 7). Thesenotches 96 are detected while the web 27 is being fed lengthwise and thedetector then triggers the operation of a severing device or cutoff 88which severes the leading portion of the web to produce a strap 32. Theweb 27 is stored in a source of supply including a bobbin or reel 20 andis withdrawn at intervals. The leading portion of the web 27 is fedlengthwise to a strapping station 21 of the baler 10 and is appliedaround the package 19 in the chamber 11 prior to being severed from theremainder of the web. The end portions of the resulting strap 32 arepreferably provided with suitably configurated (preferably zig-zagshaped) incisions or slits 32A (shown in FIG. 7) which enable the personin charge to rapidly couple the end portions to each other and to thusconvert the strap 32 into a circumferentially complete hoop whichprevents undue expansion of compacted material upon expulsionof thepackage '19 from the chamber 11. However, it is equally within thepurview of our invention to join the end portions of straps 32 byresorting to suitable joining or uniting devices. As a rule, joining ofthe end portions of a strap 32 by hand presents no serious problemsbecause the length of a strap exceeds the circumferential length of acondensed package 19 in the chamber 11 of the baler 10.

The baler 10 comprises two additional walls 22, 23 which respectivelydefine the bottom and top sides of the chamber 11. These walls 22, 23are respectively provided with parallel horizontal grooves 24, 24 whoseends register with the ends of vertical grooves 133, 134 respectivelyprovided in the front wall 12 and in the front face of the ram 17. Thus,when the ram 17 and the walls 12, 22,

23 assume the positions shown in FIG. 1, the grooves 24, 24, 133 and 134form four mutually inclined portions of a circumferentially completepassage which defines a path for a strap 32. The groove 24 constitutesthe inlet of a relatively deep cutout 29 in the wall 22. The upper sideof the groove 24 in the top Wall 23 is open so that the end portions ofthe strap 32 can extend upwardly and beyond the groove 24' in order tofacilitate convenient manual coupling of such end portions by way of theincisions 32A shown in FIG. 7.

The strapping machine comprises a feed 28 which advances the web 27lengthwise toward the strapping station 21, such web being guided alonga predetermined path to travel substantially vertically downwardly fromthe reel 20 toward the groove 133 in the front wall 12. The devices 116for threading the leading end of the web 27 into the upper end of thegroove 133 will be described later. The leading end of the web 27 thenenters into and travels along the cutout 29 in the bottom wall 22 and isdeflected into the groove 134 of the ram 17 to issue through theleft-hand end portion of the groove 24' in the top wall 23. Suitablyconfigurated deflectors 30, 31 are installed at the intake and dischargeends of the cutout 29. It is preferred to provide the walls 12, 22, 23and the ram 17 with removable channel-shaped inserts which respectivelydefine the groove 133, the cutout 29 and the grooves 134 and 24. FIG. 1shows three of these inserts, namely, the insert 25 in the front wall 12which defines the groove 133, the insert 29A in the bottom wall 22 whichdefines the cutout 29, and the insert 26 in the front face of the ram 17which defines the groove 134. An advantage of such inserts is that theycan be readily replaced by inserts defining wider or narrower grooves,depending on the width of the web 27. Also, the operator can readilyremove and replace damaged inserts or those inserts which must bereplaced due to excessive wear. The aforementioned detector arrests thefeed 28 when the end portions of the foremost strap 32 extend upwardlybeyond the groove 24 in the top wall 23 of the baler 10 so that they arereadily accessible and can be readily coupled to each other. Also, thedetector initiates the operation of the aforementioned severing device88 which severs the web 27 so as to separate the trailing end of thefront strap 32 from the leading end of the remainder of the web.

The construction of the feed 28 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This feedcomprises a frame 33 for two parallel horizontal supporting shafts 34,34 each of which sup ports two one-armed levers or carriers 35, 36. Thelevers 35 extend upwardly and their upper end portions are bifurcated,as at 48, to define slots 44 which accommodate upper advancing rollers42. The levers 36 extend downwardly and have bifurcated lower endportions 49 which define slots 45 to accommodate lower advancing rollers43. The lower end portions of the levers 35 are also bifurcated to formslots 38 for the upper end portions 37 of the respective levers 36.Split rings 39 are employed to hold the levers 35, 36 against axialmovement along the respective supporting shafts 34, 34'. The advancingrollers 42, 43 are respectively mounted on driven shafts 40, 41 whichare rotatable in antifriction bearings 46, 47 mounted in the bifurcatedend portions 48, 49 of the levers 35, 36. The shafts 40, 41 are parallelto the shafts 34, 34' and are rigidly connected with the respectiveadvancing rollers 42, 43. These driven shafts 40, 41 extend withrequisite clearance through apertures or holes 50, 51 provided in theframe 33 and their outwardly extending end portions are rigid with gears52, 53. The dimensions of apertures 50, 51 are such that they permitlimited pivotal movements of levers 35, 36 with reference to therespective supporting shafts 34, 34'. The pairs of gears 52, 53respectively mesh with gears 54, 54' which are respectively mounted onsupporting shafts 34, 34 and one of which (e.g., the gear 54') is drivenby a pinion or gear 56 mounted on the output shaft 57 of a-variablespeedelectric braking motor 58 which is the prime mover of the feed 28. Itwill be noted that portions of the supporting shafts 34, 34 extend fromthe frame 33 and that the gears 54, 54' are mounted on such outwardlyextending portions of the supporting shafts. These gears 54, 54' rotateon antifriction bearings 55 one of which is shown in FIG. 4. The gears54, 54' are in mesh so that the gear 54' drives the gear 54 and thelatter drives one pair of gears 52, 53. The other pair of gears 52, 53receives torque directly from the gear 54'. It will be noted that thegears 52, 53 remain in mesh with the respective gears 54, 54 even if thelevers 35, 36 are caused to change their angular positions byrespectively moving the upper advancing rollers 42 and/ or the loweradvancing rollers 43 nearer to or further away from each other.

The upper end portions of the upwardly extending levers 35 are connectedto each other by a resilient element here shown as a helical spring 59which tends to move the upper rollers 42 toward each other. The lowerend portions of the downwardly extending levers 36 are biased towardeach other by a similar helical spring '61 which tends to reduce thedistance between the lower rollers 43. The ends of the spring 59 arecoupled to the levers 35 by threaded retainers 60; similar retainers 62are employed to couple the ends of the lower spring 61 to the lowerlevers 36.

FIG. 3 shows that the levers 35 and 36 are respectively mirrorsymmetrical with reference to a vertical plane which passes midwaybetween the supporting shafts 34, 34'. Two adjustable spacers ordistancing members 63, 64 are provided to respectively determine theminimum distances between the upper advancing rollers 42 and the loweradvancing rollers 43. The upper distancing member 63 is adjustablyconnected with a trunnion 68 which is rotatable in the upper end portionof the right-hand lever 35. This right-hand lever 35 has a relativelylarge through bore 65 for the threaded right-hand end portion 73 of thedistancing member 63. The end portion 73 meshes with internal threads 71of the trunnion 68. The left-hand end portion 77 of the distancingmember 63 is slidable in a diametral bore 75 of a trunnion 67 which isrotatable in the upper end portion of the left-hand lever 35. This upperend portion has a relatively large bore 65 for the member 63. The tip 81at the leftmost end of the distancing member 63 is of square, hexagonalor other noncircular outline so that it can be engaged and rotated by asuitable tool in order to change the axial position of the distancingmember 63 with reference to the right-hand trunnion 68 and to therebychange the minimum distance between the upper advancing rollers 42. Themember 63 has a flange or stop 79 which bears against the left-handlever 35 when the spring 59 is free to contract to such an extent thatthe upper advancing rollers 42 are located at a minimum distance fromeach other.

The lower distancing member 64 for the levers 36 of advancing rollers 43is similar to the upper distancing member 63. Its threaded right-handend portion 74 meshes with internal threads 72 of a trunnion 70 which isrotatable in the lower end portion of the right-hand lever 36. Thelatter has a bore 66 which receives the end portion 74 with requisiteclearance to permit some pivoting of the lever 36. A second trunnion 69in the lower end portion of the left-hand lever 36 has a bore 76 whichpermits axial movements of the left-hand end portion 78 of thedistancing member 64. The end portion 78 passes with clearance through abore 66 in the left-hand lever 36 and has a tip 82 of non-circularoutline which can be engaged by a tool to change the axial position ofthe distancing member 64 with reference to the right-v hand lever 36. Aflange-like stop 80' on the distancing member 64 abuts against theleft-hand lever 36 when the spring 61 is permitted to contract so as tolocate the lower advancing rollers 43 at a minimum distance from eachother.

The rollers 42, 43 are provided with V-shaped circumferential grooves83, 84 (FIG. 4) which accommodate the marginal portions of the web 27.The springs 59, 61 cause the rollers 42, 43 to bear against the marginalportions of the web 27 with a requisite force which suflices to move theweb lengthwise when the motor 58 is on. The distancing members 63, 64are adjusted in such a way that, when the web 27 is removed from'thepath between the rollers 42, 43, the distance between the bottoms ofgrooves 83, 84 in the upper and lower rollers 42, 43 is slightly lessthan the width of the web so that the leading end of the 'web can bereintroduced between the rollers 42 and thereupon between the rollers 43by exertion of a relatively small force. The distancing members 63, 64enable the feed 28 to transport webs 27 of different widths.

The gear transmission including the gears 52, 53, 54, 54', 56 isoutwardly adjacent to the frame 33 and is protected by a cover 85 whichis detachably coupled to the casing of the motor 58. The top wall 33a ofthe frame 33 has an inlet 86 which admits the web 27 into the range ofthe upper advancing rollers 42. This top wall 33a further supports apair of spaced guide rolls 87 which direct the leading end of the web 27into the inlet 86. The rolls 87 are located at a level below the reel20.

The feed 28 could be provided with driven advancing rollers which wouldengage the two sides of the web 27. However, the provision of rollers 42and/ or 43 which engage the marginal portions of the web 27 or themarginal portions of discrete straps 32 is preferred when the endportions of straps 32 are provided with incisions 32A because the strapportions adjacent to such incisions are normally located in differentplanes to facilitate the joining of end portions when the strap isapplied around the package. The portions adjacent to the incisions 32Awould be flattened if the rollers 42, 43 were replaced by rollers whichengage the sides of the web 27.

The aforementioned severing device or cutoff 88 of the strapping machineis mounted at a level below the feed 28 and is shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and6. It is reciprocable along two stationary columns or tie rods 89 and isbiased upwardly by two strong resilient elements here shown as helicalsprings 90 which surround the columns and bear against collars 91affixed to the lower ends of the columns. The uppermost convolutions ofthe springs 90 bear against an actuating portion of the housing 88A ofthe severing device 88. The latter also carries the aforementioneddetector which detects the notches 96 (FIG. 7) of the web 27 and causesthe feed 28 to stop the forward movement of the web. As shown in FIG. 5,the housing 88A of the severing device 88 is provided with a verticalguide channel 92 for the web 27. The latter is indicated by phantomlines. The detector comprises two reciprocable sensing elements 93 whichare biased into the channel 92 by two leaf springs 94 mounted on thehousing 88A. The tips of the sensing elements 93 track the edge faces ofthe web 27 and penetrate into the notches 96 of the web when a lengthcorresponding to the desired length of a strap 32 advances beyond thedetecting station. When the tips of the sensing elements 93 enter a pairof notches 96, they temporarily couple the housing 88A to the travellingweb 27 and cause the housing to move downwardly along the columns 89against the opposition of helical springs 90. The aforementionedactuating portion of the housing 88A then actuates a control switch 150(FIG. 6) which arrests the motor 58 of the feed 28 so that the web 27comes to a halt. The control switch 150 also actuates a valve (notshown) which admits compressed air or another pressure medium to thelower chamber of a cylinder 97 which forms part of the severing device88 and whose piston rod 98 carries at its lower end two parellel plates100, 101 straddling a disk 102 on one arm of a two-armed motiontransmitting lever 99 which is fulcrumed in the housing 88A, as at 103.The right-hand arm 104 of the lever 99 (as viewed in FIG. 5) carries acoupling pin 105 for a reciprocable knife 106 which can penetrate intothe channel 92' of the housing 88A and then cooperates with a fixedcounterknife 107 to sever the web 27. The coupling pin 105 of the arm104 extends into an elon-. gated slot 108 of the knife 106, and thelatter is further connected with a crosshead 109 which carries two pins110 for two wedge-like disengaging members 111 each of which can moveone of the sensing elements 93 to retracted position. The disengagingmembers 111 are provided with inclined cam faces 112 which can engagecomplementary cam faces in recesses 113 provided in the respectivesensing elements 93.

The right-hand arm 104 of the lever 99 is provided with an extension 114which carries a handle or knob 115 serving to facilitate manuallyinduced severing of the web 27 at the will of the operator.

FIG. illustrates the motion transmitting lever 99 in an intermediateposition, i.e., in a position in which the knob 115 is locatedsubstantially midway between its end positions A and B. By moving theknob 115 to the phantom-line end position B, the operator causes theknife 106 to sever the web 27 because the extension 114 then pivots thelever 99 in a clockwise direction, i.e., in the direction in which thelever 99 pivots when the piston rod 98 of the cylinder 97 performs aworking (upward) stroke. When the knob 115 assumes the end position A,the cam faces 112 of the wedge-like displacing members 111 are withdrawnfrom the recesses 113 of the sensing elements 93 so that the tips ofthese sensing elements can engage the edge faces of the web 27 under theaction of leaf springs 94. When the knob 115 is moved to the endposition B, the web 27 is severed between the cutting edges of theknives 106, 107 and the cam faces 112 of the displacing members 111penetrate into the recesses 113 to move the sensing elements 93 apart,i.e., to withdraw the tips of sensing elements 93 from the notches 96whereby the springs 90 expand and return the housing 88A of the severingdevice 88 to its upper end position.

When the motion transmitting lever 99 returns to the position shown inFIG. 5, the knife 106 is disengaged from the knife 107. However, andsince the pins 110 on the crosshead 109 of the knife 106 extend intoelongated slots 132 of the displacing members 111, these displacingmembers temporarily remain in their lower end positions to maintain thesensing elements 93 in spaced apart positions and to permit forwardtransport of the web 27 or upward transport of the housing 88A to movethe notches 96 at the leading end of the web beyond the sensingelements. The cam faces 112 are disengaged from the sensing elements 93shortly before the knob 115 returns to the position A; the sensingelements then move inwardly (springs 94) and their tips engage the edgefaces of the web 27 to enter the next pair of notches 96 when the feed28 completes the advance of a fresh strap 32 beyond the detectingstation. The web 27 need not be advanced prior to return movement of theknob 115 to the position A because the housing 88A moves upwardly(springs 90) when the tips of the sensing elements 93 are withdrawn froma pair of notches so that, when the leaf springs 94 are free to move thesensing elements 93 inwardly, the tips of the sensing elements engagethe edge faces of the web 27 at a point behind the previously detectednotches 96. The motor 58 of the feed can be started by the controlswitch 150 when the latter is disengaged from the housing 88A or by aseparate switch which can be actuated by hand or by the extension 114when the knob 115 returns to the position A.

The severing device 88 is mounted upstream of the deflecting orthreading device 116 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which serves to direct the leadingend of the web 27 into the groove 133 of the front wall 12. The device116 comprises an arcuate first guide member 117 and a second guidemember 118 which is pivotally connected to the guide member 117 by ahorizontal pin 124. The first guide member 117 has two cover portions119, 120 which can 8 be moved apart by a pneumatic cylinder 121. This isadvisable in order to facilitate removal of the trailing end of afreshly severed strap 32 from the guide member 117 so that the operatorcan grasp both end portions of the strap 32 in order to couple themtogether and to convert the strap into a hoop. Springs 122 are providedto bias the cover portions 119, toward each other. The bias of thesesprings can be adjusted by screws 123. The springs 122 are free toexpand when the feed 28 advances the web 27 lengthwise; therefore, theweb 27 is properly guided and is compelled to enter the groove 133 inthe front wall 12 of the baler 10.

The second guide member 118 is biased by a spring 125 so that it tendsto turn in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, wherebyits lower end urges the web 27 against an inclined guide face 126 in theinlet of the groove 133. The guide face 126 pivots the guide member 118in a clockwise direction when the front wall 12 is lifted to permitexpulsion of a freshly strapped package 19 from the chamber 11. As shownin FIG. 2, the guide member 118 defines an open channel 118a which facesaway from the front wall 12 and through which the web 27 advances towardthe groove 133. The sides of the channel 118a are bounded by guide rails127. When the leading end of the web 27 advances beyond the guide member117, it is automatically threaded into the channel 118a and advancesinto the groove 133, thereupon into the cutout 29, into the groove 134and emerges from the groove 24' of the top wall 23. The insert 29A ofthe bottom wall 22 which defines the cutout 29 is pivotally connected tothe remainder of the bottom wall 22 by a horizontal pintle 12.8 adjacentto the deflector 30. Such pivotal mounting of the insert 29A isnecessary because the insert 29A carries the deflector 31 which extendsinto the path of the ram 17 when the insert 29A is moved to the positionshown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the insert 29A is pivoted in acounterclockwise direction about the pintle 128 when the ram 17 performsa series of working strokes to compact the material of the package 19 inthe chamber 11. When the compacting operation is completed, the ram 17assumes the position shown in FIG. 1 and the insert 29A can be returnedto the illustrated position. The means for pivoting the insert 29A aboutthe pintle 128 comprises a pneumatic cylinder 129 which is mounted onthe bottom wall 22 or on another fixed portion of the baler 10 and whosepiston rod 130 is articulately coupled to the insert 29A. The insert 29Acan be pivoted by two or more cyl inders 129.

The deflector 31 is adjustably coupled to the insert 29A. and isreciprocable therealong by a pneumatic cylinder 131 which can move ittoward or away from the pintle 128. The cylinder 131 is preferably ofthe single-acting type and may be provided with an air cushion or with aspring which tends to maintain the deflector 31 in one end position. Theposition of the deflector 31 with reference to the insert 29A isadjusted in such a way that the deflector 31 compels the leading end ofthe web 27 to enter the groove 134 when the ram 17 assumes the positionshown in FIG. 1.

The operation is as follows:

The baling machine 10 is set in operation when the chamber 11 receives asupply of material which is to be compacted to form a package or bale19. When the ram 17 completes the last compacting stroke, it comes torest in the position shown in FIG. 1. During such compacting of materialin the chamber 11, the strapping machine remains idle and the cylinder129 maintains the piston rod 130 in the lower end position so that thedeflector 31 is located below the path of the ram 17. The lower chamberof the cylinder 129 is thereupon connected with a source of compressedgas to lift the insert 29A to the position shown in FIG. 1. The frontwall 12 remains in its lower end position to close the outlet of thechamber 11, i.e., the compacted package 19 is held against expansion ofthe ram 17, by the front wall 12 and by the top and bottom walls 23, 22of the baling machine 10. The operator thereupon closes a master switch(not shown) to start the motor 58 of the feed 28 at full speed wherebythe rollers 42, 43 advance the web 27 toward and through the threadingdevice 116 so that the leading end of the web passes through the groove133 of the front wall 12, along the concave face of the deflector 30,into and along the cutout 29 of the insert 29A (which is held in theposition shown in FIG. 1), along the concave face of the deflector 31,along the groove 134 of the ram 17, and through and upwardly beyond thegroove 24' in the top wall 23. The feed 28 is arrested when the sensingelements 93 of the detector penetrate into the next-following pair ofnotches 96 in the web 27 and move the actuating portion of the housing88A of the severing device 88 into engagement with the control switch150' which stops the motor 58. This control switch 150 also causes thepiston rod 98 of the cylinder 97 in the severing device 88 to perform anupward stroke and to pivot the motion transmitting lever 99 in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5, so that the movableknife 106 cooperates with the fixed counterknife and severs the web 27to separate from the web a strap 32.

'When the severing operation is completed, i.e., when the strap 32 isseparated from the remainder of the web 27, the cylinder 129 is actuatedto move the insert 29A and cutout 29 downwardly and away from thechamber 11 in order to move the deflector 31 out of the way preparatoryto a forward stroke of the ram 17 which is necessary to expel a strappedpackage 19 from the baling machine .10 upon lifting of the front wall12. The cylinder 121 is also actuated to move the cover portions 119',120 of the arcuate guide member 117 apart so that the operator can graspthe trailing end portion of the freshly severed strap 32 in order tocouple such trailing end portion with the leading end portion. In thenext step, the front wall 12 is lifted to expose the outlet of thechamber 11 and the ram 17 is moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, toexpel the package 19 from the baler 10. The ram 17 is then returned tofully retracted position and the front wall 12 is returned to its lowerend position so that the chamber 11 can receive a fresh supply ofcompressible material. The grooves 133, .134 and the cutout 29 can becleaned by jets of compressed air issuing from nozzles 160 provided inthe inserts 25, 26 and 29A. The provision of such nozzles 160 isadvisable if the material of the packages 19 is brittle or contains asubstantial amount of dust. The nozzles 160 receive compressed air priorto introduction of a fresh strap 32 into the passage defined by thegrooves 133, 24, 134, 24' and cutout 29. This insures that the leadingend of the fresh strap 32 can readily advance through the passage toemerge from the groove 24' within easy reach for coupling with thetrailing end.

The apparatus of FIG. 1 can be supervised by a single person, especiallyif the operation of the baling and strapping machines is programmed sothat the admission of compressible material into the chamber 11, theconversion of such material into a package 19, the movements of insert29A and deflector 31, the movements of front wall 12, the starting andstoppage of the motor 58 and the replacement of the reel 20 with a freshreel are carried out in a fully automatic way. All the operator has todo is to join the ends of straps '32 upon application of straps aroundthe packages in the chamber 11 and tosupply to the feed 28 individualstraps if the strapping machine does not utilize a web 27. As statedbefore, the joining of the end portions of straps 32 could be carriedout by suitable uniting devices; however, it is often preferred toperform such operation by hand, especially if the package contains dustor waste because particles of foreign matter could contaminate theuniting device.

The severing device 88 can sever the web 27 even before the feed 28comes to a halt, as long as the housing 88A moves with the web while theknife 106 performs a cutting stroke, i.e., this knife should preferablysever the web when the speed at which the web moves with reference tothe housing 88A is zero.

The lever 99 of the severing device 88 can be pivoted by hand to movethe knob to the position A when the operator wishes to introduce theleading end of a fresh web 27 into the channel 92.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of our contribution to the art and, therefore, suchadaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. A method for applying strips around packages of compressiblematerial, comprising the steps of providing an elongated web withencoded informations spaced a predetermined distance in direction of theelongation of the web from each other; mechanically feeding a leadingportion of said web provided with said coded informations and applyingsaid leading portion about a package maintained in compressed conditionin a chamber; tracking the web during application of the leading portionaround said package; automatically stopping further feeding of said weband severing the same to separate said leading portion from theremainder thereof in response to detection of encoded information;joining the end portions of the thus severed leading web portion to formtherefrom a hoop around the compressed package; and removing the packagefrom the chamber so thatthe material of the package expands to theextent permtited by the hoop.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step ofproviding the web with spaced incisions, said joining step comprisingmanually connecting the end portions of'the web by way of saidincisions.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of providing saidweb with coded information comprises the step of forming a plurality ofpairs of opposite cutouts in said web, said pairs of opposite cutoutsbeing spaced said predetermined distance from each other.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said step of severing iscarried out in the region of a respective pair of opposite cutouts.

5. A method as defined in claim 3 and further comprising the step ofproviding the web with spaced incisions respectively located indirection of elongation of the web to opposite sides of each pair ofcutouts and adjacent thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,818 10/1943' Wallace 100-10XR 2,466,686 4/1949 Connelly 226-43 2,732,792 1/ 1956 White. 2,831,4224/ 1958 Black et al. 100-3 XR 2,937,484 5/1960 Wiman 100--10 XR2,966,816 1/ 1961 White.

FOREIGN PATENTS 527,058 7/ 6 Canada. 394,030 1 1/ 1965 Switzerland.

BILLY I. WILHITE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

